“If you have run with infantrymen and they have tired you out,
How can you compete with horses?
If you fall down in a land of peace,
How will you do in the (A)thicket by the Jordan?
For even your (B)brothers and the household of your father,
Even they have dealt treacherously with you,
Even they have called aloud after you.
Do not believe them, though they say (C)nice things to you.”

God’s Answer

“I have (D)forsaken My house,
I have abandoned My inheritance;
I have handed the (E)beloved of My soul
Over to her enemies.
My inheritance has become to Me
Like a lion in the forest;
She has [a](F)roared against Me;
Therefore I have come to (G)hate her.
Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me?
Are the (H)birds of prey against her on every side?
Go, gather all the (I)animals of the field,
Bring them to devour!
10 Many (J)shepherds have ruined My (K)vineyard,
They have (L)trampled down My field;
They have made My (M)pleasant field
A desolate wilderness.
11 [b]It has been made a desolation;
Desolate, it (N)mourns [c]before Me;
The (O)whole land has been made desolate,
Because no one (P)takes it to heart.
12 On all the [d](Q)bare heights in the wilderness
Destroyers have come,
For the (R)sword of the Lord is devouring
From one end of the land even to the [e]other;
There is (S)no peace for [f]anyone.
13 They have (T)sown wheat but have harvested thorns,
They have (U)strained themselves [g]to no profit.
So be ashamed of your (V)produce
Because of the (W)fierce anger of the Lord.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 12:8 Lit raised her voice
  2. Jeremiah 12:11 Lit One has made it
  3. Jeremiah 12:11 Or upon
  4. Jeremiah 12:12 Or caravan trails
  5. Jeremiah 12:12 Lit other end of the land
  6. Jeremiah 12:12 Lit all flesh
  7. Jeremiah 12:13 Lit they do not profit

If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and though in a land of peace thou art secure, yet how wilt thou do in the [a]pride of the Jordan? For even thy brethren, and the house of thy father, even they have dealt treacherously with thee; even they have cried aloud after thee: believe them not, though they speak [b]fair words unto thee.

I have forsaken my house, I have cast off my heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies. My heritage is become unto me as a lion in the forest: she hath uttered her voice against me; therefore I have hated her. Is my heritage unto me as a speckled bird of prey? are the birds of prey against her round about? go ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, bring them to devour. 10 Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. 11 They have made it a desolation; it mourneth unto me, being desolate; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart. 12 Destroyers are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Jehovah devoureth from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land: no flesh hath peace. 13 They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have put themselves to pain, and profit nothing: and [c]ye shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of Jehovah.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 12:5 Or, swelling
  2. Jeremiah 12:6 Hebrew good things.
  3. Jeremiah 12:13 Or, be ye ashamed. Or, they shall be ashamed